2023 fight video resurfaces as ‘Bachelorette’ premiere nears

The domestic violence investigation involving reality star Taylor Frankie Paul continues to unfold — with a new development adding fresh scrutiny just days before her season of The Bachelorette is set to premiere.

On Thursday, TMZ released video of a 2023 altercation between Paul and ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen — a separate incident from the alleged domestic dispute in February that prompted the current investigation. The resurfaced footage is intensifying questions about whether ABC will move forward with the March 22 debut.

Already, the fallout has been swift. A key brand partner has stepped away, production on another series Paul stars in has paused and sources say contestants from her Bachelorette season were caught off guard by the domestic violence news.

Paul, who rose to fame through the “MomTok” community before becoming the central figure on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, has remained in full promotional mode earlier this week, attending events and making national TV appearances amid mounting headlines about an alleged incident involving her and Mortensen. One of Paul’s costars from the Hulu show has spoken out.

What happened?

Authorities in Utah have confirmed there is an active domestic assault investigation involving Paul, 31, and Mortensen, 33, who share a 1-year-old son, Ever.

The Draper City Police Department said officers made contact with both parties on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 and that domestic violence allegations have been made in both directions, according to People.

The incident was first reported by TMZ, which broke the news just hours after Paul made one of her most high-profile appearances to date, on the Oscars red carpet, which aired on ABC.

Authorities have declined to release further details while the case remains open. In the absence of official information, competing accounts have emerged through unnamed sources in the press, with allegations surfacing on both sides about who was physical during the alleged altercation.

Today, however, TMZ released video of a disturbing fight between Mortensen and Paul, reportedly from 2023. In the video, which was filmed by Mortensen, Paul is seen grabbing and kicking Mortensen, who is heard claiming she is engaging in “physical abuse.” Paul is also seen throwing a chair at Mortensen with her young daughter seemingly nearby.

Following the video’s leak, representatives for Paul said in a statement, per Variety, “It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child. Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences.”

The Bachelorette‘s rollout continues — with questions

Before Thursday’s video leak, there was no indication that ABC planned to delay or alter the upcoming season. One network source told Yahoo that, as of Wednesday, the show will air as planned. A spokesperson did not respond to Yahoo’s request for comment on Thursday.

A majority of Paul’s promotional campaign this week has continued as planned. She appeared on Good Morning America, where the Hulu star acknowledged the situation as “heavy” and said she plans to share more when the time is right while focusing on her children. Over on Live with Kelly and Mark, Paul said she’s “had better days” as Kelly Ripa checked in with her ahead of Sunday’s first episode. (Both shows air on ABC.)

Still, some within Bachelor Nation are questioning how the network is handling the moment behind the scenes.

Former Bachelorette DeAnna Pappas suggested on The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast that the network may be operating in “crisis control.” (TMZ claims a crisis PR team was hired by the network as producers were reportedly blindsided by the news.)

Pappas, who was the season’s lead in 2008, speculated that at a press event on Tuesday night, access and interview questions around season 22’s debut may have been carefully managed with Paul after listening to audio of interviews.

“I know that they are all scrambling to kind of put a Band-Aid over this,” she said, while also predicting the season could still draw strong ratings despite the controversy.

Pappas also questioned the timing of the news cycle and whether this story was planted or leaked. Her comments reflect broader speculation within the franchise’s orbit — though ABC has not publicly addressed how it is handling the situation internally.

A representative for Dakota Mortensen issued a statement for the first time on Wednesday, telling Entertainment Weekly that his priority is protecting the couple’s young son and that he hopes to maintain a cooperative co-parenting relationship with Paul. The rep disputed suggestions that he was behind the timing of the allegations becoming public.

Brand deals shift as controversy builds

The most immediate public fallout has come from the business side.

Cinnabon confirmed to EW that it ended its partnership with both The Bachelorette and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, citing recent developments involving the show’s lead.

The collaboration had only recently launched, with the brand rolling out a “Swirled Soda” promotion inspired by a viral soda trend popularized by the Mormon Wives cast — underscoring how quickly the situation has shifted.

For now, no other sponsors have publicly followed suit, but the move has raised questions about whether additional brand partners could reconsider their involvement as the investigation unfolds.

Production halted and ripple effects spread

Beyond The Bachelorette, the investigation has already had tangible consequences across Paul’s reality TV orbit.

Production on Season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has paused as authorities investigate allegations involving Paul and Mortensen, Variety reported. A source told the outlet the pause is expected to be temporary and that the alleged incident did not occur while cameras were rolling.

Cast members say it was a collective choice to stop filming as the situation unfolded. “It was a decision that all of us girls came up with and agreed on. We didn’t feel comfortable filming with everything that was happening,” costar Mikayla Matthews said on social media.

Paul confirmed during an appearance on Good Morning America that filming has stopped, though she said she was not privy to any further information, despite being an executive producer on the hit show.

Costars caught off guard as fallout spreads across both shows

The impact of the investigation has also been felt behind the scenes across both of Paul’s reality TV worlds.

On The Bachelorette, a source told People that several of the men who appeared on Paul’s season were caught off guard by the news and felt betrayed, saying they had entered the show hoping to genuinely get to know her.

Another insider, however, told the outlet that Paul remains on good terms with the contestants. Some in Paul’s circle are reportedly worried for her well-being.

A relationship with a complicated history

The current investigation is not the first time Paul and Mortensen’s relationship has intersected with legal trouble.

Paul was arrested in 2023 following an alleged altercation in which she was accused of hitting Mortensen and throwing metal chairs, with one chair reportedly striking her other child. (Paul shares two children, Indy and Ocean, with her ex-husband, Tate Paul.) She ultimately struck a deal and pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault. The other charges were dismissed.

“It was a regret,” she previously told Fox News Digital about her arrest. “Hitting rock bottom, there’s only one way to go, and it helped me to go up. So, honestly, as bad as that night was, I think it was also like a blessing in disguise and maybe could have saved my life in a weird way, like, where I was just drowning in misery.”

A familiar pattern for Bachelor Nation

While the current situation’s timing is unusual, the franchise has faced major controversies before.

Former Bachelor Colton Underwood’s ex Cassie Randolph obtained a restraining order in 2020 after accusing him of stalking and harassment. However, this unfolded after their season.

Production on Bachelor in Paradise was temporarily halted in 2017 during an investigation into alleged misconduct before filming resumed.

And in 2021, longtime host Chris Harrison stepped away after defending contestant Rachael Kirkconnell who was accused of past racist actions.

For now, the show is going on — as it always has — even as the controversy surrounding it continues to build.

[This story has been updated with new comments from a ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ cast member.]